via Govt disbands EU re-engagement committee | The Herald January 15, 2014 by Tendai Mugabe
Government has disbanded the re-engagement committee put in place to explore ways of normalising relations with the European Union during the tenure of the inclusive Government.
The committee comprised the then Justice and Legal Affairs Minister Patrick Chinamasa (zanu-pf), former Energy and Power Development Minister Elton Mangoma (mdc-t) and former Regional Integration and International Co-operation Minister Priscilla Misihairabwi-Mushonga (mdc).
The committee was expected, among other things, to engage the eu and facilitate normalisation of relations.
The ultimate objective was to reach a point where illegal sanctions imposed by the 27-member bloc on Zimbabwe were unconditionally lifted.
Secretary for Foreign Affairs Ambassador Joey Bimha told The Herald yesterday that the re-engagement structure had been dismantled.
“We only engaged the eu during the time of the inclusive Government. After holding elections that were recognised by the United Nations, the African Union and the majority of the international community, we no longer have that re-engagement structure that we used to have during the time of the inclusive Government.
“The eu has to remove the sanctions because they are illegal in the first place. Why should we engage them? The ball is in their court,” he said.
Since inception in 2009, the re-engagement committee failed to make significant headway as the eu was reluctant to treat Zimbabwe as an equal.
In a show of arrogance and insincerity, the eu frustrated efforts to get to the negotiating table.
Minister Chinamasa was detained in Europe on several occasions as he travelled for the talks.
In July 2009, he was detained at Frankfurt International Airport in Munich, Germany, for six hours.
He wanted to connect to Belgium, but German immigration officials insisted that Minister Chinamasa was on an eu travel embargo and could not proceed to Brussels.
Last year, the eu’s duplicity on the re-engagement dialogue was exposed after the bloc refused to honour its pledge on Zimbabwe’s elections. The eu publicly announced that it would remove its illegal sanctions if sadc pronounced the 2013 harmonised elections free and fair.
When sadc, au, the un and several other international organisations declared the elections were a true reflection of the people’s will, the eu still refused to lift the sanctions.
COMMENTS
Say goodbye to FDI!! Any country whose leaders continue to allege that another country’s actions are illegal and not to be respected, should expect no respect back! Zanu-pf and the Herald can continue blowing smoke up their arses about the mythological sanctions, but until they are honest about the nation’s true problems they will never solve them.
NO PLAN ZANU AT IT AGAIN. When are they ever going to learn, when.
This is stale news. ZUNDE yakataura wani kuti uku ndiko kunonzi kepedza nguva. Hendei pa http://www.zunde.org tinzwe hedu zvinotaurwa nevanoiziva zvavanoita. Mahumbwe eZANU taneta nawo isu!!!
Oh, Tough talk there! What next now. Lets impose sanctions on the EU. kikikikikii
Why do we need FDI. We have minerals and the best land! We can even do without the rule of law, good governance and all the other trash! Our people never complain even if we do the most atrocious things to them, so why bother when we can always do what we want. As long as the TOP 10% have good living the rest vanodya mbambaira, madhumbe ne chakata. They are resilient! The EU guys must do their research….not this badly informed tirade. When Zimbabweans enjoy our lawlessness why should EU bother. Guys lets be honest we have jailed many without charge and they have always accepted their fate. Hey EU get away from us.